break the bones at the nostrils, and put into lukewarm water an hour to
disgorge, previously taking out the brains, which likewise disgorge in
the water, then put the head into a stewpan well covered with water, let
it boil two hours, when take it out, separate the bones from the flesh,
which cut into small pieces. In another stewpan have a middling-sized
onion cut into small dice, which set upon the fire, adding two ounces of
butter, and sauté them a light brown color, when add a tablespoonful of
curry powder, and half that quantity of curry paste, mix well together,
then put in the pieces of head with half a pint of broth, and stew
gently for half an hour. Whilst the curry is stewing, take the brains
from the water, and put them into a stewpan of boiling water, let simmer
five minutes, after which chop very fine, and put them into a basin,
with a good handful of bread-crumbs, a little white pepper, salt, and
chopped parsley, mix well together with an egg, and form it into six
little round balls, which egg and bread-crumb twice over, and fry in a
little hot lard, of a very light brown color, then dress the curry upon
a dish, lay the brain croquets round, and serve with rice separately.
525. _Calf's Head Curry_ is usually made with the remains left from a
previous dinner; if about two pounds of meat remaining upon the bone,
cut it whilst cold into thin slices, then cut two onions and two apples
into small dice, which put into a stewpan, with an ounce of butter and
half a clove of garlic cut in slices, stir with a wooden spoon over the
fire until sautéd nice and brown, when add a tablespoonful of curry
powder, half one of flour, mix well, then pour in a pint of broth, add a
little salt, and boil twenty minutes, keeping it well stirred; then put
in the calf's head, and let it remain upon the fire until quite hot
through; add the juice of half a lemon, which stir in very gently,
without breaking the meat, dress it upon a dish, and serve with rice
separately. Curry sauce may be passed through a sieve previously to
putting the head in.
526. _Calf's Feet Curry._--After boiling a set of feet for calf's feet
jelly, the feet may be served in curry as follows: separate the meat
from the bones whilst the feet are warm; when cold, cut them into small
square pieces, and proceed exactly as in the last; or use curry sauce.
527. _Calf's Tail Curry._--Cut up calves' tails into joints, which put
into a stewpan, with a small piece of lean ham and a bunch of parsley,
thyme, and bay-leaf; cover them with three pints of cold water, and let
simmer about two hours, until tender, keeping them well skimmed; when
done, strain the stock through a hair sieve into a basin, and put the
tails upon a plate; then proceed as directed for calf's head curry, but
using the stock from the tails, and reducing the curry until rather
thickish before adding the tails.
528. _Ox Tail Curry_ is made precisely as in the last, but one tail
would be sufficient, and it would require double the time to stew; or
use curry sauce.
529. _Tripe Curry._--Cut two large onions into very small dice, which
put into a stewpan, with two ounces of butter, and stir over the fire
until brown, when well mix in a tablespoonful of curry powder and half
that quantity of paste; add a pint of broth, and two pounds of double
tripe cut into strips; let the whole stew very slowly one hour, keeping
it well skimmed, when dress it upon a dish, and serve with rice
separately.
530. _Lobster Curry._--Procure a large boiled lobster, break the shell,
and take out the flesh in as large pieces as possible, cutting the tail
into about six pieces, and the claws of a proportionate size; then cut
two onions into small slices, which put into a stewpan, with an ounce of
butter, fry them of a light yellow color, then mix in a good
tablespoonful of mild curry paste (or half powder and half paste), and
add a pint of good broth, then boil it up over the fire until becoming a
little thickish, when put in the lobster, stir the whole round, then
cover the stewpan closely, and put it into a moderate oven half an
hour, by which time the curry would be of a proper consistency, and the
lobster very delicately tender, add the juice of half a lemon, and serve
with rice separately. If no oven it may be very gradually stewed over a
slow fire, in which case it might want moistening occasionally.
531. _Crab Curry._--Prepare the onions and curry precisely as in the
last, but adding the flesh of a crab (broken small) instead of a
lobster; let it stew over the fire about twenty minutes, add the juice
of half a lemon, and serve as before.
532. _Oyster Curry._--Blanch and beard six dozen of oysters, leaving the
oysters in their own liquor; then cut two middling-sized onions into
small dice, and sauté it in a stewpan, with an ounce of butter; when
done, mix in two teaspoonfuls of curry powder and one of curry paste,
then add the oysters with their liquor, and keep stirring over the fire
until the oysters become enveloped in a thick sauce, when turn them out
upon your dish, and serve with rice separately.
533. _Prawn Curry._--Procure sufficient prawns to weigh about a pound;
when picked, put half of a small onion chopped very fine into a stewpan,
with half an ounce of butter, stir them over the fire until becoming
rather yellowish; then add two teaspoonfuls of mild but rather piquant
curry paste, mixing the whole gradually with half a pint of good broth;
then put in the prawns, and stew gently about a quarter of an hour, when
they will be ready to serve; rice separate.
If no curry paste, powder may be used, but the paste is far preferable.
Shrimps may also be curried in the same way, but they are in general so
very salt.
534. _Salmon Curry._--Have two slices of salmon, weighing about a pound
each, which cut into pieces of the size of walnuts, cut up two
middling-sized onions, which put into a stewpan, with an ounce of butter
and a clove of garlic cut in thin slices, stir over the fire until
becoming rather yellowish; then add a tablespoonful of curry powder and
half that quantity of curry paste, mix all well together with a pint of
good broth, put in the salmon, which stew about half an hour, pour off
as much of the oil as possible; if too dry, moisten with a little more
broth, mixing it gently, and serve as before.
Salmon curry may also be made with the remains left from a previous
dinner, in which case reduce the curry sauce until rather thick before
putting in the salmon, which only requires to be made hot in it.
The remains of a turbot might also be curried in the same way, and also
any kind of fish.
535. _Fillet of Sole Curry._--Fillet two nice soles, and cut each fillet
into five pieces (slantwise); then in a stewpan have a small onion
chopped fine and fried, to which add a tablespoonful of curry paste, or
an equal quantity of paste and powder; when well mixed, put in the
fillets of soles, with just sufficient broth to cover them; let it boil
rather fast for ten minutes, when the sauce will become sufficiently
thick to envelop the fish, season with the juice of half a lemon, and
serve with rice separately.
Fillets of haddocks or whitings are curried precisely the same.
536. _Skate Curry._--Plain boil about two pounds of skate with a piece
of the liver, which put upon a dish without a napkin, previously well
draining off the water; whilst the fish is boiling, cut two onions in
slices, which put into a stewpan, with an ounce of butter, and fry of a
lightish brown color; then mix in a tablespoonful of curry powder with a
teaspoonful of flour, and a pint of good broth, set it upon the fire,
keeping it stirred, and when boiling, put in a good-sized apple cut into
slices, let boil until it is reduced to about half, when rub it through
a tammy or hair sieve, pour it again into a stewpan, and when hot, pour
over the fish, and serve with rice separately.
EGGS.
537. _Plain Baked Eggs._--Butter with one ounce a plated dish, or common
tart-dish, that will bear the heat of the oven; break carefully six
eggs on it, season with one pinch of pepper, half a spoonful of salt,
and add half an ounce of butter in small pieces over, put them in a
slack oven until set, and serve.
538. _Baked Eggs with Asparagus._--Cut twenty heads of sprue into small
pieces, keeping only the tender part, boil them for fifteen minutes, put
them into a stewpan, with half an ounce of butter, set them on the fire
for three minutes, season with a little pepper, salt, and sugar; when
done, put them in the dish you intend to serve it in, break six eggs
over, which season as above, put it into the oven until it sets, and
serve; in case the oven is not sufficiently hot, place a salamander over
the eggs.
539. _Mashed Eggs._--Break four eggs into a stewpan, with one ounce of
butter, half a teaspoonful of salt, and a pinch of pepper, put it on the
fire, stir continually, and as soon as delicately set, serve.
These can be served with either green peas, sprue grass, or mushrooms,
which must be stewed and prepared as if ready to serve; put some in the
stewpan with the eggs, and proceed as before. If meagre, use cream
instead of butter.
540. _Eggs with Burnt Butter._--Put into a frying-pan two ounces of
butter, which melt; as soon as it is on the point of browning, put in
the eggs, which have been previously broken in a basin, and seasoned
with pepper and salt; when well set, serve, with a teaspoonful of
vinegar over the eggs.
541. _Eggs à la Tripe._--Cut about two onions each into thin slices, put
them in a stewpan, with half an ounce of fresh butter, and set them on a
slow fire; when warmed through, put half a teaspoonful of salt, quarter
ditto of pepper, a teaspoonful of flour, a gill of milk, and a little
sugar; let it boil, put in six hard eggs cut in quarters, and serve,
after a little ebullition.
542. _Snow Eggs._--Take half a pint of milk and a little sugar, and
flavor it with orange-flower water, or any other essence, and put it in
a stewpan on the fire, having previously beaten up the whites of six
eggs to a stiff froth; if very hot weather, you must place the basin
they are in on ice, or in cold water; whilst beating, add some powdered
sugar lightly; when the milk is boiling, take the white up with a
tablespoon, and drop it, one tablespoonful at a time, in the stewpan to
poach, keeping the shape of an egg, which turn over when set; when done,
remove with a colander on to a sieve, and dress them in a crown on the
dish you intend to serve them on; when all done, beat up the yolks of
four of the eggs in a stewpan, with a little sugar and a few drops of
orange-flower water, pour part of the boiling milk out of the stewpan
into it, sufficient to make a good stiff custard, put it on the fire
until rather thick, and pour over the white, and serve either hot or
cold: the last is preferable.
543. _Eggs with Cheese._--Put into a stewpan about two ounces of grated
Parmesan, or Gruyère, or old Cheshire, with one ounce of butter, two
sprigs of parsley, two spring onions chopped up, a little grated nutmeg,
and half a glass of sherry; put it on the fire, and keep stirring until
the cheese is well melted; break six eggs in a basin, put them in the
stewpan, stir and cook them on a slow fire; when done, serve with fried
sippets of bread round. Or,
_Another way._
Put into a flat dish that will bear the oven a piece of butter the size
of a walnut, the same of grated cheese, the yolks of two eggs, some
grated cinnamon and nutmeg, mix these on the dish, put it either in the
oven or in the hot plate, or, from want of either, before the fire,
until it sets, then gently break six eggs on the dish, and cover with
grated cheese, and salamander until a nice brown, or for want of one,
keep it before the fire until it is so, and serve.
544. _Eggs in Cases._--Cut up a sheet of paper into pieces of three
inches square, turn up half an inch all around so as to form a kind of
case, they will then remain but two inches square in the inside. Take a
small piece of butter, a pinch of fine breadcrumbs, a little fine
chopped parsley, spring onions, salt, and pepper, and mix them
together, put a little into each case, then break one egg into each, put
them on a gridiron over a slow fire, and do them gently, or place them
in a dish in an oven; when well set, serve.
545. _Omelette with Herbs._--Break six eggs in a basin or stewpan, and
add to it a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, and one of chopped eschalot
or spring onions, half ditto of salt, and a pinch of pepper, and beat it
well up together. Put into an omelette-pan, that is, a small frying-pan
six inches in diameter, two ounces of butter, which melt, then pour in
the eggs, stir round with a spoon; as soon as it begins to set, lightly
move it to that part of the pan opposite the handle, so that it occupies
only one third, hold it so that that part of the pan is the lowest, move
with a spoon the outside edges over, and let it remain half a minute, so
that it obtains a good color, turn it over on to the dish so that the
bottom is at the top. They must not be too much done, and served very
hot. They may be served plain, or with the addition of any gravy.
Omelettes of ham, Parmesan, &c., are all made as the above, with the
addition that these articles must have been properly cooked previously,
and well chopped up, so as to mix well with the eggs, beat them up well
together, and cook in a pan the same way, or a little grated cheese may
be added. This I beg of you to practise; though simple, there is some
art in making it.
GARNITURE FOR OMELETTES.
546. _Asparagus, Peas, and Green Peas._--Put in a stewpan two spoonfuls
of plain boiled sprue-grass that has previously been cut up, add to it
half an ounce of butter, a little salt, pepper, and sugar, warm it on
the fire, moving it continually; when warm, put it with a spoon in the
centre of the omelette, turn over, and serve; the same with peas, and
add melted butter or white sauce.
547. _Oysters._--Open and blanch delicately twelve middle-sized oysters,
and put them in a stewpan with their own gravy, beard them, add a
tablespoonful of milk or cream, and give it a boil, then add half an
ounce of butter in which you have mixed a saltspoonful of flour, stir it
in without breaking the oysters, put over the centre of your omelette,
and proceed as before.
548. _Lobster._--Cut half or a small one in thin slices, put four
tablespoonfuls of melted butter in a stewpan, a few drops of essence of
anchovies, and a little cayenne; put in your lobster, warm it well, and
put in the middle of the omelette, as above.
549. _Kidneys._--Cook two kidneys as No. 430; when done, serve in centre
of omelette, as above.
550. _Mushrooms._--Wash about ten small fresh mushrooms, cut in slices,
put in a stewpan, with half an ounce of butter, a little salt, pepper,
and the juice of a quarter of a lemon, simmer for a few minutes on the
fire till tender; if too liquid, add a little flour, place in centre of
omelette, and proceed as above.
551. _Bacon._--Cut two ounces of good lean bacon in small dice, put in
pan to fry with the butter for one minute, then mix with the eggs
prepared as for omelette of herbs, and cook the same way.
ENTRÉES OF GAME.
552. _Broiled Pheasant._--Having drawn a pheasant, lay it upon its
breast, and pass a knife down the back-bone, upon each side, taking it
entirely out, then cut off the feet at the knuckle, break the leg and
thigh-bones, turning the leg inside, separate the breast-joint of the
wing, pressing the bird quite flat, then sauté it in a sauté-pan, with a
little lard or dripping, and when browned on both sides, and about half
done, place it upon a plate, season well with salt and pepper, egg and
bread-crumb over, and broil it upon a gridiron over a moderate fire
until sufficiently done, which would be in about a quarter of an hour,
when serve with game, mushroom, or any piquant sauce.
The advantage of broiling or sautéing game or poultry is, that when you
are alone, you need only cook the half of any large bird at one time.
_Game Curries._--I have also made very good game curries, but not too
hot with curry, as that would entirely destroy the flavor of the game.
553. _Pheasant stewed with Cabbage._--The following is an excellent
method for dressing a pheasant which should prove to be rather old,
although a young one would be preferable. Procure a large savoy, which
cut into quarters, and well wash in salt and water, after which boil it
five minutes in plain water, then drain it quite dry, cut off the stalk,
season rather highly with pepper and salt, have ready a middling-sized
onion, and half a pound of streaky bacon, which, with the cabbage, put
into a stewpan, covering the whole with a little good broth; let it
simmer at the corner of the fire three quarters of an hour, then thrust
the pheasant (previously three parts roasted) into the cabbage, and let
them stew nearly three quarters of an hour longer, or until the stock
has reduced to glaze, and adheres thickly to the cabbage, when dress the
cabbage in a mound upon your dish, with the bacon, cut into slices,
around, and the pheasant upon the top, half way buried in the cabbage;
have a little game sauce, which pour round and serve.
554. _Joe Miller's stewed Pheasant._--Roast a pheasant as directed (No.
582), but previously dipping it into flour, and occasionally flour over
whilst roasting, thus making the exterior very crisp, and keeping it
nearly white, then put the crumbs of two French rolls into a stewpan,
with half a pint of milk, a small eschalot, a bay-leaf, an ounce of
butter, and a little pepper and salt; let the whole boil a few minutes,
when take out the eschalot and bay-leaf, place a piece of buttered toast
upon your dish, pour the above over, dress the pheasant upon the top,
and serve.
555. _Hashed Pheasant._--Should you have any remains of pheasants from a
previous day, cut them into as neat pieces as possible, then put an
ounce of butter into a stewpan, with half an ounce of flour, which stir
two or three minutes over the fire, until becoming slightly browned;
then add a glass of port wine, half a pint of water, season highly, boil
at the corner of the stove, stirring and skimming occasionally, until
sufficiently thick to adhere to the back of the spoon; then put in the
pieces of pheasant, with a little coloring, let it remain ten minutes,
at the corner of the stove, but not to boil, when dress the meat upon
your dish, pass the sauce over through a sieve, and serve.
556. _A plain Salmi of Pheasant._--Or, should you have a pheasant left
that little has been cut from, cut and trim it into neat joints, which
put into a stewpan, then in another stewpan put the bones and trimmings,
chopped up very small, with an onion in slices, a little parsley, thyme,
and bay-leaf, four peppercorns, and a glass of sherry, boil altogether
two minutes, then add three parts of a pint of brown sauce, and half a
pint of broth (if no brown sauce, add a spoonful of flour and a quart of
broth or water and some coloring); let the whole boil until reduced to
half, skimming it occasionally; place a fine hair sieve over the stewpan
containing the pieces of pheasant, through which pass the sauce, warm
altogether gently, without boiling, and when quite hot dress the pieces
neatly upon a dish, pour the sauce over, and serve with sippets of fried
or toasted bread (cut into the shape of hearts) around.
The remains of pheasant, or any other game, may also be minced and
warmed in a little of the above sauce, and served with poached eggs upon
the top, or likewise made into boudins and croquettes, as directed for
turkey.
557. _Grouse._--The Scotch method is to plain roast the grouse, dress it
upon toast, and pour plain melted butter over.
But they may be dressed in any of the ways directed for pheasants, with
the exception of being stewed with cabbage, as may be likewise every
description of black game.
558. _Stewed Partridges with Cabbage._--Have two nice partridges trussed
as for boiling, and run five or six slices of fat bacon, of the
thickness of a quill, lengthwise through the breast, but not to
protrude, and roast them fifteen minutes before a moderate fire; have
some cabbage stewed as directed for pheasant with cabbage, but stewed
nearly dry before thrusting in the partridges; keep the whole hot, but
not boiling, for about an hour; have ready two pork sausages, nicely
broiled, dress the cabbage, which must be quite dry, upon your dish in a
mound, with the partridges at the top, half buried in it, cut the bacon
in halves, placing a piece at each end, with a sausage at each side;
pour half a pint of game sauce round, and serve; good plain gravy is
also very nice.
559. _Partridge sauté with Mushrooms._--Have two young partridges, each
of which cut in halves, and lay in a convenient-sized stewpan, into
which you have previously poured two or three tablespoonfuls of salad
oil, first seasoning them lightly with a little white pepper and salt,
and a sprinkle of chopped eschalots; put a cover upon the stewpan, which
place over a moderate fire, until one side of the partridges is browned,
when turn them over, proceeding the same until browned on both sides;
then pour off part of the oil, and add half a tablespoonful of flour,
which well mix in, then add a glass of sherry, half a pint of broth, and
twenty small button mushrooms (previously blanched); let it simmer,
skimming off all the oil which rises to the surface, until the
partridges are tender, and the sauce thick enough to adhere to them;
season the sauce a little if required, dress the partridges upon a dish,
sauce over, and serve.
The remains of partridges may likewise be hashed or served in a plain
salmi as directed for pheasants.
560. _Woodcocks, à la Lucullus._--Plain roast the woodcocks as directed
in Roasts, catching their trails upon toast, upon which, when done,
dress the birds on a dish; have ready a little thick melted butter, with
which mix the yolk of an egg and a little cream, pour this over the
woodcocks, sprinkle lightly with bread-crumbs, salamander of a light
brown color, and serve with a little gravy round.
561. _Woodcock, the Sportsman's fashion._--Roast two woodcocks rather
underdone, catching their trails upon a large piece of toasted bread,
when done cut each bird into quarters, which place in a stewpan, with
the remainder of the trail cut small, a little pepper, salt, a glass of
sherry, a little chopped eschalot, the juice of half a lemon, and half a
gill of broth, let the whole simmer very gently a few minutes; dress the
pieces of woodcock rather high upon the toast, pour the sauce over, and
serve.
562. _Hashed Woodcock._--Should you have any remaining from a previous
dinner, cut each one in four (or if not whole, into neat pieces), chop
all the interior rather fine, which mix with a small piece of butter, a
spoonful of bread-crumbs, and a little chopped parsley, make six
croutons in the shape of hearts, from a piece of toasted bread, spread a
piece of the above preparation upon each, and put them in a warm oven
for a short time; hash the pieces of woodcock as directed for pheasant,
and serve with the croutons round.
563. _Snipes à la minute._--Put a quarter of a pound of butter into a
stewpan, over which lay six snipes, breasts downwards, add a spoonful of
chopped onions, the same of chopped parsley, a little grated nutmeg,
half a teaspoonful of salt, and a saltspoonful of white pepper; set the
stewpan over a brisk fire for seven or ten minutes (according to the
size of the birds), stirring them round continually; then add the juice
of one lemon, two glasses of sherry, the same of broth, and a spoonful
of finely-grated crust of bread; let the whole simmer a few minutes
longer, dress the birds upon a dish, stir the sauce well together, pour
it over the snipes, and serve; a little glaze is an improvement.
564. _Plovers sauté with English Truffles._--Procure four plovers, which
lay breasts downwards in a stewpan, containing a quarter of a pound of
butter, to which add eight raw truffles, well washed, peeled, and cut
into very thin slices, two cloves, a bay-leaf, half a teaspoonful of
salt, and a saltspoonful of pepper, pass the whole ten minutes over a
sharp fire, stirring them round occasionally; then well mix in half a
tablespoonful of flour, which moisten with half a pint of broth and a
glass of white wine; let the whole simmer at the corner of the fire
twenty minutes longer, keeping it well skimmed, dress the birds upon a
dish, reduce the sauce to a proper consistency, season with a little
sugar and the juice of a lemon, and pour it over the birds; serve very
hot.
565. _Wild Duck, with Orange Sauce._--Having trussed your duck as for
roasting, rub it all over with the liver until quite red; then put it
down before a good fire to roast for twenty minutes, after which cut
eight incisions down the breast, and have ready the following
preparation: put an ounce of butter into a stewpan, with a quarter of a
saltspoonful of cayenne, the rind of an orange (free from pith,
previously cut into strips, and blanched in boiling water, and well
drained upon a sieve), and the juice of a lemon, warm all together, and
when melted, but not oily, pour over the duck, and serve.